Selective unloader mechanism for elevators



Aug. 9, 1932. s. OLSON 1,370,583

SELECTIVE UNLOADER MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS Filed March 5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I u l 1932 s. OLSON 1,870,583

SELECTIVE UNLOADER MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS Filed March 5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 hie 722 01". Wzss E? 566/ 7a.

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Aug. 9, 1932.

s. OLSON 1,870,583

SELECTIVE UNLOADER MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 5, 1929 @flezzfor ,6" zzeZ 501a 26 O Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL OLSON, OF 0A1: PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL OLSON 8; COMPANY INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SELECTIVE UNLOADER MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS Application filed March 5,

This invention relates to a vertically travelling conveyor of the type adapted for discharging load-carriers or containers at a plurality of stations along its path of travel, and has for its object to provide selectively adjustable means for automatically discharging a load-carrier at a predetermined station. It consists in certain features and elements of construction, in combination, as herein shown and described, and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side elevation of a vertical conveyor provided with automatic load ejecting means embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of the conveyor at a discharge station, showing the ejecting arm discharging a loadcarrier; taken substantially as indicated at line 33 on Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary back side view of the conveyor at a discharge station looking in the direction indicated by lines 4-4 on Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side view at a discharge station, showing load ejecting means of a modified construction.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section showing a further modified construction; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the construction shown in Figure 6.

For the purpose of illustration the present invention is shown in connection with an elevator consisting of three pairs of continuous, endless belts, 10, trained over head and foot Wheels, 11 and 12 respectively, and driven in a usual manner from a motor 13. The pairs of belts are arranged to form up and down runs, and the belts are provided with laterally extending flights or shelves, 14, disposed so that the respective flights of cooperating belts register horizontally with each other for supporting and transporting load-carriers, indicated at 15. It is to be understood that the term load carrier as used herein includes any form of container in which the load may be carried; as for example, it may be the shipping container 1929. Serial No. 344,186.

filled with the merchandise, or it may be some suitable container especially adapted for use only as a carrying medium in a conveyor system, or even further, it may be the load proper.

Load discharging mechanism is provided ad acent each of a plurality of discharge stations located along the path of travel of the belts, and herein shown associated with the down run of the elevator. In such an arrangement, the load-carriers are loaded onto the elevator from above, as at the upper loading levels indicated at A and B respectively, and are automatically ejected at predetermined lower stations, onto receiving platforms herein shown as gravity roll conveyors, 17, for transporting the load-carriers to a suitable place for handling or further transport.

The discharging mechanisms are prefer-.

ably operated independently of each other and of the elevator, and each includes an individual driving motor, 20, mounted, on an outwardly extending platform, 21, secured to the structural framing, 22, of the elevator adjacent the discharge station. The motor shaft, 23, is provided with a worm, 24, meshed with a worm gear, 25, rigidly secured to the end of a horizontally extending shaft, 26, j ournaledin bearings, 27, secured to the structural framing, 22, of the elevator. Disposed substantially central with respect to the path of travel of the load-carriers, is a radially extending load ejecting arm, 28, rigidly secured to the shaft, 26. Said arm is convexly curved at the side which engages the loadcarrier, so as to insure smooth and gradual shifting of the load carrier off the supporting flights. It isto be understood that the ejecting arm, when actuated, rotates through a complete revolution and is arrested in idle position ready to repeat the cycle. A normally open switch 30, is mounted on he framing, having a downwardly depending switch arm, 31, pivoted at 32, and arranged closely adjacent the path of travel of the load-carriers. The switch arm is provided with a counter weight, 33, for normally maintaining said switch arm in position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, for encounter by a laterally extending projection, 34, in the nature,

load ejecting arm, 28, for discharging the load-carrier. As may be seen in Fig. 3, the ejecting arm, 28, has been started to rotate and has partially shifted the load-carrier laterally on the supporting flights, which ejection is substantially completed by the time the flights approach the top of the grav- .ity roll platform, 17.

The electrical circuit for controlling the motor and the actuation of the arm, 28, in cludes a pair of conductors, 3'? and 38, con necting the switch 30, to a line switch, 39, to which is connected a conductor, 40, to the motor. Conductors 41 and 42 connect the other terminals of the switch and motor respectively to a main source of power. As may be seen from Fig. 4, it apparent that while the projection on the load-carrier, (as

it approaches the predetermined discharge station) actuates the switch arm, 31, closing the motor circuit and causing rotation of the ejecting arm, 28, the circuit will be immediately broken due to the arm shifting the loadcarrier laterally on its supporting flights, and the projection, 34, releasing switch arm 31. Thus, the above arrangement merely serves to initiate the load-carrier ejecting operation, and it is necessary to provide auxiliary means for maintaining the electrical circuit to complete the discharge of the loadcarrier. This auxiliary means includes a second switch, 45, carried on said framing, 22, having a downwardly extending arm, 46 provided at its end with aroller, 47, in contact with the periphery of a cam, 48, mounted on the horizontal shaft, 26, axially spaced from the arm, 28. Said cam surface is formed with an abrupt offset portion, the adjacent portions of which form high and low points, 48a and 486 respectively. It will be understood that normally when the ejecting mechanism is in operative and the ejecting arm is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the cam is in such position that the roller of the switch arm, 46, engages the high point 48a, at which position the switch is held open against the reaction of the spring, 49, which normally urges said switch arm toward closing position. The switch, 45, is connected in parallel with switch, 30, in the motor circuit, and includes a conductor, 50, connected to conductor 37, and a conductor, 51, connected to the conductor 38.

It will now be apparent that when the pro- 'ection 34 of the load-carrier, as it approaches its predetermined discharge station, engages the switch arm 31, it closes the switch 30, complating the motor circuit and initiates movement of the ejecting arm, which shifts the load-carrier laterally on its supporting flights. After the shaft, 26, has commenced to rotate, the high point of the cam moves forwardly to release the switch arm 46; the roller then being forced downwardly by the spring 49 contacts with the low point of the inwardly oll'set cam surface, which permits closure of switch 45, which again completes the motor circuit, and maintains the circuit closed after the original circuit becomes broken bythe load-carrier being shifted and causing the projection 34 to free the switch arm 31, opening the switch 30. It is to be understood that the surface of the cam 48 is formed to cause opening of the second switch 45, completely breaking the motor circuit just prior to the completion of a single revolution of the shaft and the ejecting arm, so that the mechanism will be arrested upon the completion of each single revolution with the load ejecting arm in operable position to repeat the cycle, and the high oint of the cam in position, holding the switch 45 open. Any additional means, (not shown), such as a brake, may be provided for positively insuring stoppage of the mechanism at each complete rotation, as illustrated in the modified constructions shown in Figs. 5 to 7 The load-carriers are provided with a series of apertures, 55, arranged horizontally in the end of the carrier, each corresponding to one of the discharge stations at which said carriers may be deposited. The switch arms 31, at these discharge stations are arranged for encounter by the projection 34, when disposed in the corresponding aperture 55, for causing discharge of the load-carrier at the predetermined station. Thus, any load-carriers may be selectively discharged at a certain predetermined station, if the attendant will simply insert the projecting in 34 in the proper aperture 55 when loading the carrier onto the elevator. In Fig. 4 the switch arm 31 is shown arranged for operation at the first discharge station along the path of the elevator, and it is manifest that the switch arms of the successive stations may be positioned correspondingly for cooperation with pins that are inserted in the successive apertures respectively.

To insure safety of attendants and provide against dama e to the elevator and articles handled by plling up at the bottom of the elevator in the event of failure to discharge the load-carrier at the proper station, I provide a load ejecting mechanism adjacent the foot end of the elevator and driven thereby in synchronized relation. This mechanism includes an ejecting arm, 28, mounted on a. horizontal shaft, 26a, journaled in bearing, 27, carried on the framing. Mounted on said shaft is a spiral gear, 56, meshed with a s iral gear 57 on the adjacent foot shaft 58 0 one setof the foot wheels. It is to be understood that the ratio of the gearing-is such that the arm, 28, will rotate in timed relation correspending to the spacing of the flights, so that the arm will go through the ejecting operation each time a pair of flights passes thereby.

In the modified constructionshown in Fig. 5, a bevel gear, 60, is secured to the outer end of the shaft, 26b, and is meshed with a bevel gear, 61, loosely mounted on a vertical shaft, 62, which may be understood to be positively driven from either a head or foot shaft. The underside of the bevel gear, 61, is provided with a spiral jaw clutch part, 63, with which is adapted to be meshed a cooperating clutch part, 64:, feathered on the shaft 62. Said 7 feathered clutch member 64 is supported in a yoke, 65, carried by the clutch shifting lever 66, which is pivoted at one end at 67 to the framing; the other end being pivotally connected to the outer end of an armature, 68, of a solenoid, 69, which is supported laterally beyond the vertical shaft by a bracket, 70, connected to the framing. The electrical connections are substantially the same as already described, except substituting the solenoid for the motor; the conductors being identical and indicated by the same reference characters with the addition of the exponent w. The electrical circuit is completed and maintained in the same manner as above described, and it is to be understood that upon completion of the circuit, the solenoid becomes energized, drawing the armature upwardly, swinging the clutch lever 66, about its pivot, shifting the clutch part 64 into. driving engagement with the clutch part 63, and causing rotation of the load ejecting arm 28.

' After completion of the load ejecting operation, the electrical circuit is bro-ken by the cam 48, deenergizmg the solenoid, permitting the driving clutch part to drop out of mesh w 1 11 the clutch part 63 of the bevel gear. To insure stoppage 0f the shaft 26?), and the ejecting arm 28, in proper position after each revolution, a brake drum, 71, is provided on said shaft, having a brake shoe, 72, connected to a pair of rods, 73, secured to a common fitting, 7 1, pivoted to'the lever 66 at 75. A compression spring, 76, is interposed between the shoe andthe framing 22, and normally tends to urge the shoe into contact with the brake drum. Thus, when a load-carrier to be discharged at the adjacent station eloses switch 30, completing the electrical circuit, and as the lever 66 is swung upwardly, it raises the brake shoe 72, free of the drum, 71, permitting unhampered rotation of the shaft 26b, and the ejecting arm. Upon breaking of the electrical circuit (which as previously mentioned, takes place a short interval before completion of a single rotation of .the shaft and arm) the lever falls downwardly by gravity carryin the brake shoe into engagement with the fiiction surface of the drum, stopping the rotation of the shaft and arm; the spring 76, assisting in such movement of the brake shoe.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a further modified construction for controlling the operation of the load-carrier ejecting mechanism, and include a horizontal shaft, 260, jourualod in bear mgs, 270, secured to the framing 22. Said shaft is provided with the usual load ejectmg arm 28, and cam 48, and loosely mounted for rotation on the shaft, outwardly be *ond the cam is a bevel gear, 80, meshed with a bevel gear, 81, rigidly secured on a transversely extending drive shaft, 82, disposed between the strands of the outer pair of chain belts, 10, and journaled in bearings, 83, secured tothe framing. Fixedly mounted on said shaft 82, are sprocket wheels 84, engaged by the chain belts, as seen in Fig. 6. It will be apparent that when the elevator is operating the bevel gear will also be driven. Integral with said bevel gear is a spiral jaw clutch part 85, rotatable with said gear, and a cooperative clutch part 86 is feathered to the shaft 260, and is caused to be moved into and out of engagement with the clutch part by a solenoid 69a. The linkage for shifting the clutch member 86, includes a shifting lever, 66a, pivoted at 67a to the framing, the upper end being pivoted to a link 87, connected to the outer end of an arm 88 of a bell crank lever 89 pivoted at to the outer end of arm 91, of a fixed supporting bracket 92; the junction of the arms of the bell crank being pivoted at 93 to the end of the armature 68a. Secured to the outer end of shaft 260 is a brake drum 71a, with which cooperate a brake shoe 72c, pivotally connected at 7271 to the bell crank arm 91. The operation of the mechanism is substantially the same as already described and shown in Fig. 5; the conductors of the electrical circuit being indicated by the same reference character with the addition of the exponent y I claim:

1. In combination with a conveyor and driving means therefor, a load-carrier on said conveyor, electrically controlled load ejecting mechanism disposed adjacent each of a plurality of discharge stations arranged along the path of travel of the conveyor each of said mechanisms including a rotary load ejecting arm and a switch member for completing the electrical circuit for actuating said arm, and means on the load-carrier adapted to selectively operate one of said switch members at a predetermined station when the load-carrier substantially registers with said station for rotating the arm thereat and by whose movement the load-carrier is discharged at said station.

2. In combination with the contruction defined in claim 1, means for automatically breaking the electrical circuit and arresting the load ejecting arm upon completing the discharge of the load-carrier from the conveyor.

3. In combination with a vertically travelling conveyor and driving means therefor, a

load-carrier on the conveyor, electrically controlled load ejecting means adjacent each of a plurality of discharge stations arranged along the path of travel of the conveyor, said means each including a horizontal shaft, a radially extending load ejecting arm fixed on said shaft and movable into the path of travel of the load-carrier, power means for rotating said shaft, a primary switch having a member engageable by the carrier for temporarily closing the electrical circuit and initiating the actuation of the power means, a second switch operable by the initial movement of the shaft for maintaining the electrical circuitto cause continued rotation of the arm for ejecting the load-carrier, and means on the load-carrier adapted to selectively operate one of the primary switch members for causing discharge of the loadcarrier at a predetermined station.

4. In combination with the construction defined in claim 3, means on the shaft, associated with the secondary switch for automatically breaking the electrical circuit to arrest the load ejectingarm upon completion of the load ejecting operation.

5. The construction defined in claim 3, having said ejecting arm longitudinally curved convex forwardly in the direction of its rotation for ejecting the load carrier.

6. In combination with a vertically travelling conveyor and driving means therefor, a load-carrier on said conveyor, electrically controlled load ejecting mechanism disposed adjacent each of a plurality of discharge stations arranged along the path of travel of the conveyor, each of said mechanisms ineluding a rotary load ejecting arm and a switch member for completing the electrical circuit to actuate said arm and means on the load-carrier adapted to selectively operate one of said switch, members at a predetermined station when the load-carrier substan tially registers with said station for rotating the corresponding arm by whose movement the load carrier is discharged at said station, said last mentioned means consisting of a projection adjustable horizontally on the load-carrier, for actuating any selected switch member at whose corresponding station the load is to be discharged.

7. In combination with a vertically traveling conveyor having a pair of spaced cooperating downwardly traveling continuous belts, provided with separate cooperating horizontally extendingflights, load carriers supported by said flights, load-ejecting means disposed adjacent a plurality of stations arranged along the path of travel of said conveyor above the bottom, driving mechanism for each of said load-ejecting load-carrying.

SAMUEL OLSON. 

